Carl Valeri will return home to Australia this year after signing a three-season A-League deal with Melbourne Victory. The 29-year-old has spent more than a decade playing in Italy, most recently for Ternana in Serie B.

While not in Ange Postecoglou's current Socceroos squad, the midfielder has made 50 appearances for the national side – including in each of Australia's 2010 World Cup group matches.

Valeri said he'd been impressed by the A-League's quality and couldn't pass up the opportunity to work with coach Kevin Muscat at the Victory.

"The league just keeps getting better and better each season and I'm really looking forward to being back home and playing in a competition that has such great potential," he said. "You just to have to look at all the quality young players over in Brazil with the Socceroos to see how far the game has come in this country. A lot of those boys started their professional careers in the A-League, and that speaks volumes."

Valeri has been plagued by injury over the last two years, hampering his ability to crack into the team at Serie A's Sassuolo, but Muscat said his wealth of experience will be a valuable addition to his squad.

"He's played at the highest level in Italy, one of the best leagues in the world, as well as impressing on the biggest stage at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa," he said. "Carl is a versatile midfielder and I have no doubt he will have an impact on the A-League and we are very much looking forward to his leadership around the club also."